ABSTRACT
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the gross motor function levels and nourishment and growth levels of children with spastic quadriparetic cerebral palsy.
Methods: Fifty-six children at the ages of 2 to 15 years with spastic quadriparetic CP participated in the study. The ages, heights, body weights, body mass indexes (BMI), birth weights and gestational ages of the children were recorded. Their gross motor function levels were designated based on the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Their nutritional and growth levels were estimated by using age for height, age for weight and age for BMI curves.
Results: Three groups were formed out of 56 children based on the GMFCS, namely 10 children at level 3 (17.9%), 12 at level 4 (21.4%) and 34 at level 5 (60.7%). There was a significant difference found between the rates of being stunted and nutrition levels and the GMFCS levels in these children according to the age for height (p < 0.05). The levels of malnutrition and being stunted climbed as the GMFCS levels increased. Moreover, there was a significant difference found between the chewing, solid food eating, drinking with glass and eating abilities of the children and their GMFCS levels (p <0.05); and there was no significant difference between the state of feeding with pipette, vomiting and spitting and the GMFCS levels.
Conclusion: It was exhibited that the gross motor function levels affected the nutrition and growth levels in children with spastic quadriparetic CP.
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